There are many types of fasteners in use today which employ fixed receptacles for coupling with a fastener stud. The object of such an assembly is to mount the receptacle to one of two members to be fastened and then to place the stud in the other member to be fastened in position so that the components can be interconnected in a manner which fastens the two members together. This type of structure is prevelant in wall mountings and in panel to panel arrangements for cabinet type use for example.
In many environments it has been found that it is extremely difficult to gain excess to the rear side of one of the members being fastened for purposes of mounting the receptacle in position to receive the stud portion of the fastener assembly. It is common practice to design receptacles with conventional type of mounting structure employed for fastening the receptacle to a panel or wall from the rear side with an acess opening in the panel or wall aligned with the interior chamber of the receptacle. In this manner, the receptacle exposed surface is substantially flush to the exposed surface of the wall or panel so that there is no projecting portion. This makes it easier for providing a surface interengagement between panels or other similar type members which are being coupled by the fastener assembly.
In order to save cost in assembly time particularly where a large number of fasteners are to be employed, it is advantageous to provide a receptacle which can be inserted from the exposed outer surface of the rear member being fastened and then to be locked in position by activation of locking means from the side of the panel through which the receptacle has been inserted. In addition to the time saving factor of such an assembly is of course also a great advantage to be able to extend the receptacle in from the exposed side particularly where the rear side of the panel or wall is at a location where access is difficult if not impossible.
It should also be kept in mind that the receptacle assembly should be of a minimum number of component parts and simple in design in order to keep the cost of the receptacle at a minimum both from a manufacture and an assembly standpoint.